Constellation Brands, Inc., a leading beverage alcohol company, in partnership with a number of its iconic beer, wine, and spirits brands, announced a collective commitment of $1.75 million to support the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) and the launch of their “Restaurants Advance” campaign. The commitment represents a multi-year collaboration with the NRAEF to rebuild the restaurant industry and create opportunities for restaurant workers from all backgrounds.
According to the NRAEF, the restaurant industry finished 2020 nearly 2.5 million jobs below its pre-COVID-19 levels. Constellation’s collective contribution – which includes support from the Corona brand family, SVEDKA Vodka, and Meiomi – will go to support the NRAEF’s programs dedicated to recruiting employees to help rebuild the restaurant industry’s workforce.
“Many of our retailer partners, particularly local restaurants and their employees, have been significantly impacted by this terrible virus,” says Bill Newlands, Constellation Brands’ president and chief executive officer. “We are proud to partner with the NRAEF and play a role in helping to rebuild the industry, and we believe that starts with the people who serve as its backbone. Our hope is to not only help rebuild the industry’s workforce with talented and diverse individuals to position it for future growth, but also to help bring financial security through enhanced employment opportunities to the thousands who have been impacted financially by the pandemic.”
In March 2020, Constellation and several of its flagship brands contributed more than $1 million to the NRAEF’s Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, which raised more than $21.5 million and helped over 43,000 restaurant workers hit hard financially by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Constellation Brands stepped up at the onset of the pandemic and helped us provide much-needed assistance for restaurant workers through our Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, and we are thrilled to have their support once more,” adds Rob Gifford, president of the NRAEF. “While we have much work to do, this substantial donation will help rebuild the industry and support our work to open new doors of opportunity.”
Working alongside its partner organization, the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), the NRAEF’s “Restaurants Advance” campaign will support recovery efforts by focusing on investing in initiatives to attract talent to the industry, advance career development and increase equity for restaurant workers, and assist in the creation of pathways to small business ownership.
